Bob talks with political commentator James Carville about the future of the Democratic party. His new book is called40 More Years: How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation. Then, actor and director Kenneth Branagh stars as the scruffy Swedish detective Kurt Wallander in the new Masterpiece Mystery! miniseries based on the bestselling novels by Henning Mankell. Wallander won the BAFTA (the British equivalent of the Emmy) for Best Television Drama Series and airs Sundays on PBS from May 10th to May 31st.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme was “a deception that lasted longer, reached wider, and cut deeper than any other business scandal in history.” Bob discusses it with Martin Smith, correspondent with the PBS current events series Frontline. Frontline’s investigation into the scandal is called “The Madoff Affair” and it airs today at 9 PM Eastern (check local listings). Then, one simple question sent journalist and running enthusiast Christopher McDougall across the globe: Why does my foot hurt? In his quest, McDougall ran endurance races across America, visited science labs at Harvard, and spent time with a tribe in Mexico’s Copper Canyons, whose speed and health could match any Olympic marathoner. McDougall’s book is titled Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

E. Ethelbert Miller is a poet and a champion of his fellow poets—though “literary activist” is the term he uses to describe himself. He’s also a baseball fan, and nearing 60 years of age, figures he’s in The Fifth Inning of his life. That’s the title of his second memoir in which he uses baseball as a metaphor for measuring his life.Then,Jorma Kaukonen is one of the most accomplished guitar players in America. His intricate fingerstyle melodies are well known to fans that have followed his career from The Jefferson Airplane to Hot Tuna to solo work. Kaukonen joins Bob in our performance studio to play a few tunes and to talk about his latest CD, River of Time.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Bioethicist Peter Singer offers this thought experiment. Is keeping more money than we actually need to survive — as opposed to giving it away to help people dying from malnutrition and easily treated diseases — the same as committing murder? Singer makes the case in his new book The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty. Then, Bob talks sports with our sports guy, Dave Zirin.

Friday, May 15, 2009

David Broder of The Washington Post joins Bob to talk about the latest news from the capital and beyond. Next, after years of interviewing nursing home residents, psychologist and journalist Ira Rosofsky takes a hard look at growing old in America. Rosofsky’s book is titled Nasty Brutish and Long: Adventures in Old Age and the World of Eldercare. Then, the installment of our ongoing series This I Believe. Bob talks with executive director Dan Gediman about the essay from Marty Mann. Born into a wealthy Chicago family, Mann worked as a magazine editor, art critic and photographer. She was the first woman to join Alcoholics Anonymous and she also created the National Committee on Alcoholism.